Angel
by HyacinthQueen13
Summary: One night as Hannibal is walking home he witnesses the murder of young couple. Without knowing why he steps in and kills the murders. The dying young woman begs him to see that her infant is safe. Hannibal promises to do so but he doed not expect the hold this baby girl has on him. Can the heart of this cold-blooded killer be melt by one helpless child?
1. chapter 1

The night was cold as the rain came pouring down. Hannibal walked quickly down the street. Hardly a soul was to be seen. Not surprising though as there was bad weather and this was not the safest part of town. On a night like this, you never knew just who was lurching in the shadows. But that did not bother Hannibal one bit. He would almost find it interesting, and maybe even a little entertaining if someone tried to assult him. He would love to see the look on their face when they realized what he was right before he killed them. Hannibal smiled sinisterly at the thought. If only his other victims had known, then they might not have been so rude.

Hannibal's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching quickly. He looked up and was a little disappointed when he saw that it was just a couple walking hurriedly in his direction. The man, who had his arm wrapped around the woman, kept looking over his shoulder as if to make sure they were not being followed. The woman carried a small bundle in her arms, holding it closely to her body. Hannibal watched them curiously as they came closer. They did not seem to notice him. That is not until the man bumped into Hannibal's shoulder. The man looked at him in surprise, then alarm, then relief.

"Excuse me sir. I'm sorry!"he apologized hurriedly as continued down the street still looking over his shoulder. Hannibal watched them. He might of killed him for his rudeness had he not apologized. The couple quickly turned down into an alley, disappearing from sight. Hannibal shrugged to himself. As he began to turn away he heard more footsteps, running this time, toward him. He turn in time to see three thugs before they crashed into him.

"Get outa da way!" one snarled as he pushed Hannibal out of his path. Hannibal watched as they ran down the alley after the couple. He paused. He did not care what happened to the couple one way or another but he was curious. Hannibal started toward the alley. He did not get far before he heard a woman's scream. As he entered the alley, he saw that the man had somehow managed to kill one of the thugs. Suddenly gun shots rang out.

"Richard!"the woman screamed as the bundle in her arms began to cry. The man, Richard, was dead before he hit the ground.The two remaining thugs advanced on the young woman. She turned away as they brought their knives down on her small body. She did not scream, cry, or beg for mercy as she shielded her baby from the blows.

Hannibal did not know why he did it. He moved without thinking. Quickly and silently with predatory grace, he came behind one of the thugs and snapped his neck before he even knew Hannibal was there. Hannibal paused and slowly looked up. His eyes met the other's, while his lips curled into a rather sinister smile. The thug swallowed and held his knife out in front of himself in a defensive position. The young mother moaned at his feet but still clung to her baby. Hannibal payed no attention to her, keeping his focus on the thug in front of him. He began to circle the surviving killer, like a panther circling its prey. He was the predator, the stronger and he would devour his prey. The lone thug seem to be thinking about the same thing. Fear radiated off him. Hannibal could smell it, almost taste it.

Not able to endure it any longer the thug lunged at Hannibal with his knife. Hannibal simply stepped to the side as his assailant thrust towards his heart. The lack of contact between blade and flesh cause the thug to stumble forward allowing Hannibal to slip behind him and get him into a headlock. Hannibal held him in that position for a few moments, savoring the sight of his prey flail his arms helplessly. Then in one jerk it was over. The body went limp and Hannibal dropped it to the ground in disgust. Survival of the fittest, it was the way of the world. The sounds of shallow breathing reminded him of dying woman bleeding to death on the ground. Crouching down he examined he wounds. A few glances over the numerous wounds told him she would not survive long enough for an ambulance to get there. Gently and carefully he rolled her onto her back. She whimpered in pain.

"Shhhh,"he whispered soothingly, the predator was gone and the doctor remained. "It's alright now." He smoothed the hair away from her face. She looked into his eyes, her own being full of gratitude, and smiled.

"Thank you,"she whispered, her breaths coming in short, painful gasps. The woman looked around fearfully. She grabbed Hannibal's coat and pulled him closer.

"Must go,"she gasped,"...find you...kill you...go!"

Hannibal nodded understanding. These thugs had friends who would come looking for them and he did not get the feeling they would be thrilled with what he did. But for some reason Hannibal could not leave.

A sob escaped her lips. "My baby!"

Hannibal suddenly remembered the child. It had become quiet and so he briefly forgot about it. What would become of it, he wondered.

"They find her...they kill her...hide her...please...beg you,"she managed to gasped out. Her breathes were becoming more and more shallow. Hannibal hesitated. He could not be responsible for a baby. He never had children. He had never thought about it. And now here was this dying woman trying to ensure the survival of her helpless child. She recognized that Hannibal would be a strong protector and she was begging him to take her child. This appealed to Hannibal's inner beast as well as his chivalrous nature. Without a word he carefully picked up the baby. She did not cry as he held her but gazed back at him with big, curious eyes. Hannibal felt something he did not expect. A sudden need to protect.

"Her name...is Lillian," breathed the child's mother. "Please...see that... that she is safe."

Hannibal leaned down and captured her gaze. "I give you my word." His heart skipped a beat. Why did he just do that? Hannibal could not explain why. He did not care for this woman, he owed he nothing but he for some reason he felt compelled to do as she asked. Hannibal looked down at the baby that he cradled in his arms. Her mother caressed her face. "Goodbye Lily," she sighed. Her breath came to a halt and her body became limp. Her eyes, still open, were fixed on her child. Hannibal sighed and reaching down, gently closed the dead woman's eyes. Then he quickly stood and silently left the alley. The baby, Lillian, gave a small cry. Hannibal paused. "Shhhhhh,"he hushed her gently but sternly. "You must be strong and behave yourself now. I will take care of you now." He swallowed, almost uncertainly. Why should he? He owed nothing to this family. He could just leave her with social services but that would raise too many questions. Leave her on a doorstep? Hannibal looked back at Lillian. A smile spread across her face as she cooed happily. She reached out for him with a chubby little hand and he found himself taking it into his own. Lillian grabbed his finger and brought it to her mouth. Hannibal found himself smiling at this curious little creature. He could not raise a child, could he? _No_ , he thought as he shook his head. She would be a weak, little nuisance. And yet... The thought of raising her intrigued him. How to explain her though? A daughter he just found out he had with the passing of her mother. Not entirely a lie but he was well respected and wealthy. No one would question him. How would her care for her though? He had no experience and he had his practice as a psychiatrist. He could hire a nanny until Lillian was old enough. An older woman would do. One who was discreet. Hannibal then made up his mind once and for all.

"I am taking you home with me. From now on I will be your father and you, my daughter." As if she understood, Lillian let out a happy, little cry. Hannibal pressed her little forehead to his.

"I will take care of you now, little Angel."

As he made his way home with Lillian in his arms, Hannibal felt strange. Like there was now a small patch of light shining on his darkened soul. He looked down at the now sleeping babe. He was a merciless, cold-hearted killer but even the hearts of hardened killers are sometimes melted. And this was the case with Hannibal and his little angel, Lillian.


	2. chapter 2 (06-20 19:32:08)

**Hi everyone! Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out but you know life happens! :) Hope you are enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it! This is my first story that I ever done. (By the way, I am so sorry about the grammatical mistakes. I will try to proofread it better this time**

The first few days proved to be a bit of a challenge for Hannibal. Lillian was a naturally sweet tempered child and normally not very fussy. But she was still a baby and as a baby she had certain needs that required attention. While he had a general idea how to care for a child there were certain things he was unsure of, such as what to feed her and how much. Then there were the more distasteful things such as diapers. The doctor-cannibal found himself searching the internet for more detailed information on childcare as well as buying the basic necessities for a baby. Though it was bit rough, Hannibal was a very intelligent man who did not readily back down from a challenge. But whether he got the hang of it was not the only issue. Hannibal had his practice as a psychiatrist and many patients who he had to reschedule so he could take care of Lillian. While he knew he did not need to be watching Lillian every minute of the day, Hannibal disliked leaving her by herself, even if he was in the next room. So instead of seeing his patients with a crib in the corner of his office, Hannibal began to search for a woman to care for Lillian during the day. He posted a notice on the internet with the position and his expectations of the person to fill it. In the meantime however he would take a few days off and learn to be a father.

One thing Hannibal learned about Lillian, in the short amount of time he had her, was that she hated thunder storms. While she did not cry very often like most babies, Lillian would cry and even scream a bit during such a storm. And what should happen but a thunder storm upon the second night after her arrival. At first Hannibal was unsure as to what was wrong but soon realized the cause for her distress. He then took her to his room and rocked her for a bit making soothing sounds as he did. This quieted her a little but she still cried so Hannibal tried another tactic.

"Did your mother ever sing to you, angel?" he asked her quietly. "Mine would sing this to my sister, Mischa, when she had trouble sleeping."

With that, he began to quietly sing, in the deep, rich tones of his voice, a lullaby in Lithuanian.

Cuicia liulia dukrytela,

Mano mylimoji,

Kiek jau kartu per dieneli,

Tavi pakilojau,

Pakilojau panesiojau,

Patelei klojau,

Cuicia liulia dukrytela,

Mano mylimoji,

Auk didute buk greitute,

Mano dukrytela,

Cuicia liulia dukrytela,

Mano mylimoji.

By the time he finished his little angel was fast asleep. He smiled down at her. _How can one so small bring so much peace and pleasure to one such as I?_ he wondered. Hannibal leaned down and kissed her little head.Propping himself upright on his bed, Hannibal leaned back hoping to get a few hours of rest himself. Lillian lay asleep on his chest, her tiny fist holding on to his shirt as caressed her little feet. Hannibal marveled at the contrast in size. He never thought of his hand as big but holding that soft, tiny foot made his hand look huge and rough. With one last smile, Hannibal leaned back his head and fell asleep.

The next morning Hannibal awoke early as usual despite the fact he had a very late night. He took the sleeping Lillian back to her room and gently laid her in the crib. Hannibal paused, taking a moment just to look at her, his long fingers once again playing with her feet. She was chubby but not overly so. Her dark brown hair was starting to get long enough that he could tell it was wavy. And those closed lids hid the biggest, most beautiful brown eyes he every saw. She obviously did not look like Hannibal but he could just say that she got all of her mother's looks.

Hannibal's thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of the phone. Sighing, he let go of Lillian and went to his room where the secondary phone set was.

"Hello," he answered.

"Excuse but is this Dr. Hannibal Lecter?"

The voice belonged to a nervous sounding woman trying to be confidant. Hannibal could easily tell.

"It is," he replied. "May I ask who it is I am speaking to."

"My name is Christen Benham. I am calling about the uhhhh...nanny position. Your notice said to call this number." Oh, yes. She was definitely nervous. "I was ummm...hoping to set up an interveiw today."

Hannibal smiled slightly. "Very well Miss Benham. Does two o'clock this afternoon suit you?"

Hannibal could hear her breath of relief.

"Uhhhh yeah that should suit me just fine. Thank you Doctor. Good-bye."

With that she disconnected the call. Hannibal put down the phone and started to dress for the day. He pulled out a suit and tie and laid them across the bed before proceeding to the bathroom to take a shower. Ten minutes later he came back to dress. As he was buttoning up his shirt he noticed his tie was missing. Hannibal looked around the room but could not find it. Finally dropping to his hands and knees, he lift the bed skirt. Lying on her back with the tie in her mouth was Lillian, staring back with her big brown eyes. She let out a shriek of delight when she saw him.

"Now that was just naughty little angel," he scolded her. "What have you got to say for yourself?"

Lillian looked away for a moment like she knew she was in trouble but when she looked back the most adorable look was on her face. Hannibal coud not help but smile.

"I'll forgive you this time but you better not do it again."

He pulled Lillian, who was still holding the tie, out from under the bed and held her in his arms. Then a thought occured to him.

"How did you get out of your crib?"

Lillian just looked around the room innocently and though she could not speak, Hannibal had a feeling she knew exactly what he was saying. Angel indeed! Hannibal leaned closer to her.

"Do I even want to know?"

Lillian just tilted her head to the side and continued to look at him innocently. Hannibal nodded.

"That's what I thought. Now let's get you dressed for the day, shall we?"

A few hours later the doorbell rang. Hannibal glanced at his watch. _On time,_ he mused. Punctuality was very important to him. He found it rude to be late for an appointment and when people were rude, well...then they were asked to dinner. Hannibal smirked at the thought as he went to answer the door. He opened the door to reveal a young woman standing on the steps. She wore blue floral skirt that came below her knees with a matching top and black flats. Her hair, which she left unbounded, was brown with a reddish tint. She was not a small girl but she was not fat either. Hannibal took her in one glance. She was definitely trying to make a good impression but Hannibal was not easily impressed. Her green eyes found his.

"Docter Hannibal Lecter?" she inquired.

"Yes. You are Miss Christen Benham?"

"I am." She nodded. He held the door open wider for her to enter.

"Please, come in", he said gesturing towards the inside of his home.

"Thank you", She said shyly entering the threshold. Hannibal shut the door and turned to face Christen. He smiled.

"Now Miss Benham, shall we get down to business?"

 **Ok, sorry if the chapters are too short but I'm trying to get them out for you guys. Hope you like it. Please tell me what you think. My fanfictions are basically practice for my real book I'm working on and I just want to know what people think of my work. You know constructive criticism. Oh! Here is the translation to the lullaby.**

 **Hush-a-bye my little**

 **daughter,**

 **My beloved,**

 **How many times during**

 **the day**

 **Have I already picked**

 **you up,**

 **I've already picked you**

 **up and carried you,**

 **Put you down in your**

 **cradle.**

 **Hush-a-bye my little**

 **daughter,**

 **My beloved,**

 **Grow up quickly,**

 **My little daughter,**

 **Hush-a-bye my little**

 **daughter,**

 **My beloved.**

 **I found the song on youtube by Rasa Serra Lithuania-Lietuva. So I do not own anything as far as that song goes. Anyways, bye y'all! I'll get my next chapter out as soon as I can!**


	3. author's note

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** **Hello everyone! I am very sorry I have not updated for a while. I going through some intense training plus working so I'm kinda swamped at the moment but I fully intend to finish this story so as soon as I am able I will write more. Thank you for your patience and understanding and thank you for liking, following, and reviewing. It means a lot to me. Again thank you. :)** **\- HyacinthQueen13**


End file.
